The Perfect Soldier
by limevox
Summary: The military is conducting experiments on their soldiers to create a new brand of super soldiers, and Riza is chosen. Will she be the perfect soldier she has always been? Royai


**The Perfect Soldier**

**Summary**: The military is conducting experiments on their soldiers to create a new brand of super soldiers. Will Riza be the perfect soldier she always has been?

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She was chosen for her eyes. The golden eyes of a hawk that brought her to the prestigious position of lieutenant within the military she was in. Pupils that burned holes into the backs of her enemies, robbed young men and women of their lives within a fleeting moment, ones that blessed her with the ability to see the flutter of fear that crossed their face as she pulled the trigger.

She always felt the weight of their death on her shoulders, even years after. She could see their faces flash across the random people she walked past, she could hear the blood curdling noises they made as the bullet passed through their bodies. She could smell the fresh gunpowder dance in the air that followed. She could imagine the taste of metallic iron in the back of her dry throat as she took her last breath.

All these experiences were collected from years after years of serving the military, with a mixture of second hand disposable experiences from her peers in the battlefield. She had all these memories of killing, how it felt, tasted, smelt, looked and sounded. There were stories, grand tales of how death was, but never had she gotten such information first hand.

Merely because everyone who had such experiences were dead. They were on the other end of her gun as she pulled the trigger.

But this time, she was on the receiving end, and the trigger was a needle.

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. . .

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The day the world was brought down to their knees was the day the military lost all semblance of justice. A single man with delusions of grandeur was able to bring the world to a screeching halt, defying all that was the military and its beliefs, the Alchemical laws and God itself. The Promised Day sparked such a fear throughout the world that the military poured millions into a newly formed research department hidden in the grey areas of ethics to which the country turned a blind eye to. The fear that chewed at the back of every single person's neck lessened over the years until the fateful day that was the Invasion of the flying ships, which brought all the process and healing back to square one.

Two years later, with Amestris still recovering economically, physically and physiologically the research was nearing a so called solution. The Alchemical research department created a liquid substance just shy of a Philosopher's stone, composed of artificial souls and lesser life forces with the promise to enhance strength and all senses.

Thus creating the perfect solider.

Among the list of candidates were no State Alchemists; they were too valuable of an asset to be risked. To this news a year earlier, Roy Mustang let out a sigh of relief. And though no one was there to witness it, so did Riza.

But such protection was not extended to his subordinates.

Riza Hawkeye, candidate number forty-six of the fifty chosen, one of seven women and the only chosen within Mustang's squad. She received the letter only two weeks after the experiment got the green light, sitting in the office on a blaringly sunny day. She paled at the proverbial weight of the letter, encrusted with handwritten authority by the Fuhrer himself; she didn't even need to open it to know what fate was inside. She quietly excused herself and proceeded to shoot the letter straight through the blood red sigil of the military.

The letter boasted about her excellence within the military, serving her country by bravely fighting in Ishbal, the Promised Day and the Invasion, among others. It complimented her quick climb of the ranks to that of a respectable lieutenant. Her determination and loyalty and years of servitude, as well as her strong skill set in marksmanship, sniping and hand to hand combat was to be rewarded.

And what a way to reward her.

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. . .

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"They can't do this," Havoc muttered through his teeth, hitting the table with his clenched fist.

"It just isn't fair." Falman said in a low voice, taking a long swig of his beer.

Riza just stared blankly ahead, her eyes already void of the life that would inevitably leave her. Her ears were juggling between buzzing and a screeching white noise that thumped in the depths of her head.

"Are you okay?" Breda asked, attempting at some sort of level of comforting. The question fell upon deaf ears, he quickly added "You'll be okay. You're strong."

They were offering her empty words. Empty words of comfort, of anger, words that have all been said before, like a script they all merely passed around to each other and took turns reciting.

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder; drawing her back to what little time she had left on this earth. She looked at whom it belonged to and met dark eyes that mimicked her emptiness.

"I'm going to go," Riza spoke, barely audible. She shook a bit as she stood, the world not really feeling there under her feet. She gave them all a sad look if not for herself, then for them as she walked out of the bar.

"I'll walk the Lieutenant home."

Roy caught up with Riza as she shakily made her way down the empty and cold street, his arm wrapping around her small waist as if he was holding her together. She leaned slightly into his arms and wrapped her own around him, gripping his coat like a lifeline. They walked together in silence to Roy's apartment.

She collapsed onto his bed and let the tears fall. He held her as his fingers gently ran through her hair and rubbed circles on her back.

"It isn't fair." She choked between sobs,

He held her even closer to his chest. "You can fight it. You're the strongest person I know."

He pulled her in to graze his lips against hers, sliding his hands underneath her blouse.

"I've been blind." He spoke in a low voice as he began to remove her clothing, "All this time you've been protecting my back, when I should've been protecting you."

She looked him in his dark eyes, drowned in anger, despair and love. She ran her hands through his hair and pulled him down to kiss her again.

"Promise me you'll come back to me." He whispered

She silenced him with another kiss, deepening it as she began unbuckling his pants.

"Promise me."

"I can't." Her voice choked back another sob

She felt something wet hit her cheek. She brushed his hair back with her small fingers.

It was raining.

"I've always been useless in the rain."

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. . .

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The room had a sterile sting to it, cold and reeked of death. The back of the cold metal chair dug into her back as they began strapping her arms and legs down. The room was quiet, nothing but deep breathing and occasional murmurs from the 'doctors' were heard.

There was a flickering light in the corner of the room, blinking on then off in tune with each erratic heartbeat. She focused her dull golden eyes at the glass window in front of her, searching for his dark eyes, but was met with nothing but her helpless reflection.

There were ten candidates in the room; they were the lucky last group to be tested. The results from the pervious four groups were said to have been a success, but she knew otherwise. The bloodshot, dead and empty look in each of the scientists' and doctors' eyes said otherwise. They lied through their teeth to give the remaining group of cattle a glimmer of hope before sending them off to slaughter. She overheard a young doctor whisper that no female candidates survived, wearily glancing at Riza before looking away, ashamed.

They began filling the syringes with a crimson substance, flicking the vial when they finished. She heard people begin to protest against their bindings, rattling the metal chairs.

She breathed slowly, trying to keep the calmest demeanor she could muster. Her eyes stared blankly ahead, as her knuckles turned white and her jaws clenched. She felt the cold sting of the needle prick her vein then an even colder substance rush through her system.

People were already screaming a few seats down. The man next to her was dead within the second the needle touched him.

She felt her body screaming for release as wave after wave of pain washed over her. Her vision was blurring, her breathing was erratic and she wasn't sure if that buzzing sound was her heartbeat or her burst eardrum.

Another man just died to her right.

She felt several arms hold her down as she frantically tugged at the straps beginning to loosen and break. She gripped the metal armrest, feeling it bend under her knuckles. She could hear the doctors frantically yelling at each other, trying to control the frenzy within the room.

Suddenly her bright golden eyes shot open and stared past the bodies that were beginning to release their hold on her. She looked into the glass, searching, seeing only a mirage of surprised and wide-eyed faces.

Until she finally found his dark eyes.

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**V**


End file.
